Sefton’s beaches are at their cleanest levels in 30 years, according to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).

Its statistics have revealed that all 31 of the North West’s bathing waters meet the required quality standards, making them safe to swim in.

Formby received the highest rating of ‘excellent’ for the fourth year running- a record for result for Sefton – while Southport, Ainsdale and Crosby Beach received a ‘good’ verdict.

Over the 400 beaches and lakes across the country, 98% have passed the required regulations, which is a huge improvement from the 1990s when only 28% met the quality threshold.

YouTube: Jordan Reais

National Trust volunteer, Martin Rodgers, told JMU Journalism: “We are absolutely delighted with the recent result. We work extremely hard to keep our coastline clean and safe, and it’s great to know our waters are keeping up with us.

“We want to keep this standard up. Over the summer, the beach generates a lot of attraction and tourism for the area which is great for local businesses. It’s important to everybody in the area, and it is imperative we all do our bit to help.”

Environment Secretary, Michael Gove said: “We want all bathing waters to enjoy the high quality which the 146 million visitors to Britain’s beaches every year expect and we will keep working with partners to drive up standards.”